Modular unit element for furniture

ABSTRACT

COMPOSABLE CHAIR COMPRISING THREE IDENTICAL MODULAR UNITS. EACH OF SUCH UNITS COMPRISES TWO LEGS AND A PLATE MEMBER CONNECTING THE LEGS AT THEIR UPPER END PORTIONS. THE LEGS ARE HOLLOW AND ARE OPEN AT THE TOP AND ARE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE LOWER END PORTIONS OF THE LEGS OF A SUPERPOSED MODULAR UNIT. THE LEGS ARE TAPERED AND ALLOW A PARTIAL COPENETRATION. A SEAT MEMBER IN THE FORM OF A PLATE, PROVIDED WITH PROJECTIONS INSERTABLE IN THE OPEN ENDS OF THE LEGS NEAR ONE OF ITS SIDES AND WITH OPENINGS IN REGISTER WITH THE BORES OF THE LEGS OF ANOTHER MODULAR UNIT, CONNECTS TOGETHER TWO MODULAR UNITS FORMING THE LEG STRUCTURES. THE BACK MEMBER IS FORMED BY INSERTING THE LOWER END PORTIONS OF A THIRD MODULAR UNIT INTO THE OPENINGS OF THE SET UMBER, IN REGISTER WITH THE BORES OF THE LEGS OF AN UNDERLYING MODULAR UNIT.

June 27, 1972 G, DECURSU ETAL MODULAR UNIT ELEMENT FOR FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 24, 1970 INVENTOR.

G/anc/o ozcmau 'JONHIH/IN as Pns BY 00mm DURBINO -PflOL0 LOMAZZI June 27, 1972 DECURSU ETAL MODULAR UNIT ELEMENT FOR FURNITURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 24, 1970 INVENTOR.

GIORGIO Dscunsu-Jmvn mm 05 ms DONHTO D'URB/NO- PHOLO LOMHZZI Unitcd States Patent 01 lice 3,672,723 MODULAR UNIT ELEMENT FOR FURNITURE Giorgio Decursu, Via R. Sanzio 30; Johathan De Pas, Via M. Greppi 11; Donato DUrbino, Via C. Balbo 25; and Paolo Lomazzi, Via Rossini 3, all of Milan, Italy Filed Apr. 24, 1970, Ser. No. 31,501 Claims priority, application Italy, May 3, 1969, 16,387/69 Int. Cl. A47c 7/00 US. Cl. 297-440 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Composable chair comprising three identical modular units. Each of such units comprises two legs and a plate member connecting the legs at their upper end portions. The legs are hollow and are open at the top and are adapted to receive the lower end portions of the legs of a superposed modular unit. The legs are tapered and allow a partial copenetratiou. A seat member in the form of a plate, provided with projections insertable in the open ends of the legs near one of its sides and with openings in register with the bores of the legs of another modular unit, connects together two modular units forming the leg structures. The back member is formed by inserting the lower end portions of a third modular unit into the openings of the set member, in register with the bores of the legs of an underlying modular unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a modular unit element for the construction of furniture such as chairs or the like, and the furniture obtained from said modular element.

One of the most important problem in the composable pieces of furniture is that of permitting a quick and easy mounting and disassembling of each modular unit with respect to the other.

The main object of the present invention is that of offering, starting from a modular element, a chair structure which can be disassembled and which is obtained by a limited number of component parts, easily assembled and disassembled, and obtained by manufacturing techniques of current use and by the use of materials easily available commercially, so as to be particularly advantageous from the economical point of view.

Another object of the invention is that said chair structure is formed only from two different types of component elements, so that the problem. of its manufacture and the storing of the disassembled parts is considerably simplified. In fact by using in the construction of the chair according to the invention synthetic plastics materials subjected to pressing, it is possible to make use of only two moulds contained either in a single die or in only two separate dies. As is evident a considerable economy derives from this, even from the manufacturing equipment aspect.

Another object of the invention is that said chair structure is arranged in such a manner that when it is disassembled it occupies a very small space, thus considerably simplifying the problems of storage and transport of large quantities of these chairs.

Another object of the invention is that this chair structure is suitable for being used as a didactic game, especially in a childs version, who are given a chair to assemble starting from its disassembled parts.

Another object of the invention is that of permitting the construction of furniture of other types, starting from the same modular element.

3,672,723 Patented June 27, 1972 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a modular element formed essentially from a single frame body defining a pair of tubular legs connected by a crosspiece. Advantageously a chair which can be disassembled obtained from said modular elements comprises a seat plane and three equal frames which define a first pair of legs, a second pair of legs and the back respectively, and means for the rapid reciprocal coupling of said elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will better appear from the following detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the modular elements according to the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanyin g drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled chair obtained from said modular elements;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the same chair;

FIGS. 3 4, 5 show a side elevation, frontal elevation and plan view of the same chair; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 show two other pieces of furniture (a table and a wardrobe) obtained by the use of the same modular elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 the chair comprises principally three equal modular elements, indicated by the reference numerals 1, 2 and 3, and a fourth fiat member indicated by the reference numeral 4 which forms the seat plane of the chair.

Each of the equal modular elements 1, 2 and 3 comprises, in the form of a frame, a pair of spaced uprights or elongated tubular downwardly tapered members 5 and 6 and a crossmember or transversal connection plate 7 having a slightly arcuated shape. The uprights or elongated tubular downwardly tapered members 5 and 6 are advantageously hollow internally and have a tapered shape so that the outer diameter of the lower portion of the uprights is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the bore 8, so that two modular elements can be superimposed inserting one into the other by partial penetration of one ofthe uprights into the corresponding seat or bore 8 of the other.

The seat structure in theform of a substantially horizontal plate member 4 is provided at its lower part near the forward edge thereof with a pair of projections 9 which match said upper openings'or bores 8 in the uprights 5 and 6 so that they can be inserted. Near its rearward edge the seat structure 4 is provided with a pair of holes 10 through which the tapered extremities of the uprights 5 and 6 are inserted. t

It will be appreciated-that the legs 5 and 6 have a downwardly tapering upper end portion provided with the 11pwardly open coaxial bore 8 and a downwardly tapering lower end portion insertable into the open bore 8 of an underlying leg structure.

In order to give greater rigidity to the assembly, a strengthening rib 11 is provided under the seat plane 4 between the projections 9. Because of this the upright or legs 5, 6 are provided with slots 12 at theirupper openings into which the reinforcing rib 11 is inserted.

The assembly of the chair takes place in an obvious manner. Because the three elements 1, 2 and 3 are perfectly similar, any two of them can be chosen for forming the opposing pair of leg structure of the chair. The seat member 4 is rested on the upper edge of the connection plates 7, while the projections '9 are inserted into a corresponding pair of uprights 5, 6, which in this case act as chair forward legs. The assembly of the chair is completed by inserting the remaining frame element into the matching seats 8 of the back or rearward legs by way of the holes 10 provided in the seat member 4, thereby to form the back structure of the chair.

As can be seen, by the use of only two types of component element it is possible to assemble a chair of solid structure, and at the same time of economical construction. Further the problem of having to provide a large series of moulds for chairs constructed of plastics material is completely solved. It should also be noted that the ease with which the chair can be assembled and disassembled makes it particularly suitable for use as an instructional game for children.

FIG. 6 shows a table obtained by using two equal frames of the type of frame 1 previously described. In this embodiment of the invention two elements 1 are attached to a plane 13 with the interposing of a transversal U reinforcement 14, which is inserted between the lower extremity of the legs 13a of the plane 13 and the frame elements 1. The legs 13a of the plane 13 are substantially similar to the uprights 5 and 6 of the frame 1 and are inserted in socket elements 15 which project lowerly from the plane 13, or which constitute a single body with the plane itself.

FIG. 7 shows a wardrobe structure, obtained by the use of a plurality of equal frame elements 1 superimposed one on the other and attached to particularly simple accessory elements, according to the invention. -An element 16 is analogous to the plane 13 previously described. This portion 16 comprises four legs 16a, completely analogous to the legs 13a of the table previously described. A clothes hanger rod 17 is hung from the plane 16. Two planes 18 and 19 are indicated which are similar one to the other and similar to the plane of the element 16. The plane 19 rests on the ground by means of the four sockets 20 with which it is provided, and to whose base are attached the feet 21.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and changes, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. Thus for example different arrangements can be provided for inserting the various parts, together with still further modifications both in the material and dimensions, without departing from the scope of the present invention as described above and claimed below.

We claim: 1

1. A composable chair comprising in combination three substantially equal modular unit elements forming two leg structures and a back structure of said chair, respectively, and a substantially flat member having means for connection of said three modular unit elements substantially orthogonally to said flat member and forming the seat structure of said chair, said modular unit elements each having vertical elongated tubular members capable of being partially inserted in one another, wherein, according to the improvement:

said two leg structures have each a forward vertical downwardly tapering elongated tubular member forming one forward tubular leg and, spaced therefrom, a rearward vertical downwardly tapering tubular member forming one rearward tubular leg and a cross member connecting said one forward leg and said one rearward leg, said forward and said rearward legs having each a downwardly tapering lower end portion and a downwardly tapering upper end portion having a coaxial open bore therein, said crossmember being in the form of a plate extending substantially in a vertical plane and connecting the upper end portion of said one forward leg with the upper end portion of said one rearward leg, said plate having a slightly arcuated shape,

said two leg structures being arranged laterally spaced apart from each other, said seat structure comprising a substantially horizontal quadrangular plate member having a forward edge and a rearward edge, near said forward edge two laterally spaced projections downwardly projecting from said horizontal plate member and inserted each into a corresponding of said open bores of said forward legs of said laterally spaced apart leg structures thereby to connect said laterally spaced apart leg structures together, near said rear edge means defining two spaced apart holes of said horizontal plate member and in register with the respective of said open bores of said rearward legs of said laterally spaced apart leg structures,

said back structure being substantially equal to each of said leg structures and being arranged vertically above said rearward legs of said laterally spaced apart leg structures and having vertical elongated downwardly tapering tubular members corresponding to said legs of said leg structures and including downwardly tapering tubular end portions thereof inserted through said holes into the respective of said open bores of said rearward legs of said two leg structures thereby to maintain in position said rearward legs and said plate member and to form thFback of the chair.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,669,285 2/1954 Young 297-443 X 2,988,844 6/1961 Faimburger 297-443 X 2,551,071 5/1951 Tying 297-442 X 2,703,136 3/1955 Masse 297440 X 2,784,774 3/ 1957 Andreef 297-442 3,074,203 1/1963 Paksy 297-440 UX 3,199,469 8/1965 Sullivan 108-53 3,220,773 11/1965 Burns 297-440 FOREIGN PATENTS 955,670 1/1950 France 297-441 PAUL R. GILLIAM, Primary Examiner 

